Fruits Basket Forum

WOW… this Tohru girl in FRUITS BASKET is so NAÏVE, she makes Pollyanna seem positively cynical. WOW again… she’s definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed in this first episode. Yes, it’s a fantasy melodrama, but it’s a lot easier to suspend my disbelief over shape-shifting zodiac creatures than it is for me to believe that a 15-year-old girl would be foolish enough to live in a tent by herself in the woods. That is just ASKING for some horrible, horrible trouble. One of the character’s even brings up that she “might run into the occasional wild animal or weirdo out there in the woods.” Gee… you think? Just maybe?

I was getting a little creeped out by the beginning with Red Riding Hood-esque scenario of her just wandering into some strange man’s house, after being lured in with some colorful toys (the zodiac stones).  While the situation gets diffused after a while, that Yuki is a CREEPER, even as emo fantasy characters go. He makes that TWILIGHT dude seem well-adjusted. I might say it’s because the guy’s king of the glowing-eyed rats, but that really pales (pun intended) in comparison to the nasally-monotone of his voice inthis dub. If I could reach into the screen, I’d tell Tohru NOT TO LIVE WITH THIS GUY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! GET OUT! RUN! NOW! DON'T LOOK BACK!

All that aside, it was fun to see the Chinese zodiac factor into this toon and to hear a recount of Buddha’s selection of the animals (or the Jade Emperor’s selection, depending on where you heard the story). Actually, it’s a little timely for me, given that I, myself, was born in the Year of the Tiger and, after two full rotations of the cycle, it’s my year again. But I don’t have any issues with hugging girls or turning into animals like the creepies in this show do.

Anyway, check out the first episode below and see if you feel like I do. Thanks to daotherkenji for the tip, and keep these recommendations coming, everybody!    
 

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.

@sunflower said:

" I disagree with Kris.  The anime was one of the better dubs, but the Japanese voiceactors were fantastic.  It has some of the best seiyuu in the business, and they do a great job.  I thought it really captured the manic excitement of the first couple books, then toned it down and moved into the emotional melodrama of the family member's backgrounds really well.  A few of the episodes are positively moving.  Yes, the last two episodes are bad, because they made them up so they'd have an ending to tack on since the manga wasn't finished.  But the rest of the series is quite well done.  There's a reason the anime sells so well to the fans of the series. :) "

This. I really dug the calming, comforting nature of the anime. Also, I'll agree exactly on the VAs. The English was actually pretty good imo, but it was hard to beat the Japanese.
 
Never got around the manga, but dug it none the less. In particular, I really liked Kyo. It was just shocking because I dressed very similarly to his character design, posessing a orangish-red hair, cargo pants, and the black bracelet. My girlfriend at the time only showed me the series because she was amazed I had never heard of it, yet dressed so alike.
 
Sorry @Kris: